Concrete Contractor in Kensington, CA - Driveways and Patios Built for Hillside Lots
Heartland Berkeley Concrete Company builds and repairs concrete driveways, patios, steps, walls and foundations in Kensington, CA, with the ground prep and drainage done right for the slopes and older homes here.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work in Kensington's hills
Kensington is a hillside community of homes between Berkeley and El Cerrito, just up the slope from Albany. It's almost all houses, many of them older, on lots that climb or drop away from the street, so the calls we get are for driveways, front steps, patios and walls rather than storefronts. Kensington is unincorporated, so Contra Costa County is its local government, not a city hall.
On ground like this, the base and the water decide how the job turns out. A slab poured on loose fill, or one that tips toward the house, will show it sooner or later, so we dig out, pack the base and set the slope before we think about the finish.
- A base dug out and packed
- Water steered away from your house
- Joints cut where cracks belong
- Permits sorted out with the county
What we build in Kensington
Here's what we build and fix in Kensington, from steep driveways and hillside steps to the footings and slabs under the house.
Concrete driveway building
Steep Kensington driveways crack when the base settles or water runs under the slab, so we dig out, pack the ground and set the slope before pouring.
Explore Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
Most backyards here aren't flat. We build patios that fit the grade, with a gentle fall away from the house so rain doesn't pool against your walls.
Explore Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or entry the look of stone or brick, and underneath it sits on the same packed base we'd use for plain work.
Explore Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
On sloped lots a front walk often turns into a ramp or a set of landings. We lay it out so it stays walkable and sheds water.
Explore Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
Older Kensington garages often have cracked, sunken floors. We break out the old slab, rebuild the base and pour a floor that drains toward the door.
Explore Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored and textured finishes can match the stucco, brick or wood of an older house, so a new patio or path looks like it belongs there.
Explore Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
Hillside yards here lean on walls to hold back soil and win back flat space, and a wall only holds if water can drain out from behind it.
Explore Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
For basements, studios and lower-level rooms dug into a slope, we pour interior floors over a packed base, with moisture kept out from below.
Explore Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
A pool deck on a hillside lot needs a firm base, a fall that sends water away from the house, and a finish that grips wet feet.
Explore Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Plenty of Kensington homes sit above the street, so the front steps take daily use. We rebuild worn or tilting steps with even, comfortable rises.
Explore Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
On a slope, a slab foundation for an addition or new building is only as level as the ground under it, so we cut and pack that first.
Explore Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
Older homes here sometimes need new foundation work under part of the house, and we form and pour it with steel rebar inside to hold it together.
Explore Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Kensington is mostly homes, so our lot work here is usually small shared parking pads and multi-unit driveways, graded so runoff doesn't head for the neighbors.
Explore Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Decks, walls and additions on sloped lots sit on footings, the concrete pads that carry the weight down to firm ground, and we dig them for the slope.
Explore Concrete footingsFoundation raising
If part of an older Kensington house has settled, you'll see sticking doors and sloping floors. We lift the low section and support it from below.
Explore Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
We saw-cut old concrete so only the part that's failing comes out, which helps on tight hillside sites with no room for big equipment.
Explore Concrete cutting
Ask for your free estimate
Tell us about the slab, the slope and what's bothering you. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free estimate with no obligation.
What Kensington's slopes ask of concrete
Most homes in Kensington sit on a grade, so water, weight and tight access shape every job here more than the finish does.
Water heading downhill
Rain on a slope runs toward something, often the house. We check where it goes before we form, and set the slab to fall away from your walls.
Grip on steep driveways
On a steep drive, slick concrete is a real hazard in the rain. We give it a broom finish, a brushed texture that gives tires and shoes grip.
Old slabs on loose dirt
Old driveways here often sit on dirt that was only raked level. We dig that out and pack a firm base, because a slab moves with its ground.
Don't see your city? Give us a call
We're a concrete contractor based in Berkeley, CA, and we work across the East Bay. If you're in one of the other cities listed here, pick it to see what we run into on jobs there.
If your city isn't on the list, call (341) 209-8254 anyway. These are the cities with their own page, not the only places we pour, and I'll tell you straight if your job is outside our reach.
How a Kensington concrete job goes
I keep the estimate simple. I come out myself, look at the ground and write down what's included, so you can compare it with anyone else's.
Call or send a request
Call (341) 209-8254 or use the form, and tell us what you're seeing, whether that's cracks, a sinking slab or water pooling by the house.
I look at the site
I come out to walk the slope with you, check where water runs and listen to what you need, because the ground decides most of the job.
Written estimate and permits
You get a written estimate showing what's included. Then we sort out what the county requires before anything is poured, and meet the inspector when it's time.
Prep, pour and curing
Our crew packs the base and cuts control joints so cracks land where we choose, and I explain curing, the days it needs to harden before use.
Kensington concrete questions
How do I get a building permit for concrete work in Kensington?
You get it from the county, because Kensington is unincorporated and the county runs building permits and inspections there. You can read the county's permit information yourself, but on our jobs we find out what's needed, file the paperwork and meet the inspector.
Does a new concrete driveway or patio in Kensington need a permit?
Usually, yes, because the county says almost all projects need a permit, and its examples include foundation repairs, decks and outside remodels. A retaining wall needs one once it's tall enough, and adding a lot of new hard surface or building on steeper ground can also call for a drainage plan, so we check your job with the county before anything is poured.
Does a concrete contractor in Kensington need a California license?
Yes, for almost any real concrete job. The state licensing board requires a license when the work needs a permit, uses any extra workers or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and the small-job exception used to stop at $500. Working in unincorporated Kensington also takes a county business license, which asks for a copy of the current state license, and we're licensed and insured.
Is Kensington in a fire hazard zone?
Yes. The Kensington Fire Protection District says the community sits in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone set by CalFire. Concrete doesn't burn, so a patio, path or wall won't add fuel near the house, and we'll check with the county what the zone means for the rest of your project.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Kensington?
Your price comes down to the size of the slab, how much old concrete and soft ground has to come out, how steep the lot is and how hard it is to get trucks and equipment in. Stamped or colored finishes cost more than a plain broom finish, but the base is the one place I won't let you cut, because it's buried on day one and it's what keeps the slab from settling. Your written estimate shows where the money goes.
What is the best way to find out if my Kensington project needs design review?
Ask the county early, because its planning rules call out Kensington by name. The county lists design review, a check of how a project looks and fits, for special areas including Kensington, and it requires planning approval for new structures and changes to a building's size, height or outside. Two county planning overlays apply only to Kensington, so I raise the question at the estimate and we get the answer as part of sorting out your permits.
Get an estimate for your Kensington slab
Call (341) 209-8254 or use the form while you're still planning, because the slope and drainage are easier to get right before the layout is set.